Apparatus and method for mounting cards on a web

ABSTRACT

Stiff flexible items, such as plastic credit cards, are inserted within four angled corner slits in respective mailer cards forming part of a burstable continuous form. A ram passes perpendicularly through a circular aperture in each mailer card and forces the credit card against a stationary anvil to bow the central section in a forward direction and concurrently cause the extended ends of the credit card to move rearward into contact with the mailer card to spread the slits. When the ram is retracted, the credit card, due to its inherent resiliency, snaps straight; as it does so, its four corners tuck into the slits around the aperture. Credit cards are mounted one or two to a mailer card automatically as they are advanced intermittently, first transversely of the continuous form to a merge position and then in the same direction as the continuous form to a mounting position.

[ Nov. 28, 1972 3,274,665 9/1966 Higginson et al. 3,330,581 7/1967lvarrson- Wallerstrom........ 3,484,097 12/1969 Primary Examiner-LouisG. Manoene Assistant Examiner-J. A. Olifl AttorneyHanifin & Jancin andHenry E. Otto, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT Stifi' flexible items, such as plastic credit cards, areinserted within four angled comer slits in respective mailer cardsforming part of a burstable continuous form. A ram passesperpendicularly through a circular MOUNTING CARDS ON A WEB Inventors:Charles Holovka, Jr., Hightstown,

N.J.; Bohdan Demchyshyn, Levittown, Pa.; John Francis Mcl-Iugh, Fords,NJ.

Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY.

Filed: April 5, 1971 Appl. No.: 131,196

United States Patent Holovka, Jr. et al.

[ APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR 52 5 1 1 I Cl 3 5 39 00 aperture in eachmailer card and forces the credit card 581 Field of Search ..270/52, 57;40/104.12, 104.13; against a stationary anvil to bow the central sectionin 282/3, 115 A, 93/1 R, L1. 1 E 37 a forward direction and concurrentlycause the ex- 235 tended ends of the credit card to move rearward into13 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures contact with the mailer card to spread theslits. When the ram is retracted, the credit card, due to its inherentresiliency, snaps straight; as it does so, its four corners tuck intothe slits around the aperture. Credit cards are mounted one or two to amailer card automatically as they are advanced intermittently, firsttransversely of the continuous form to a merge position and then in thesame direction as the continuous form to a mounting position.

.93/l.1 .29/210 X .40/104. 12 X .29/235 .93/1 R 291-453 X ode ooooodooecooo oo v 1 iiiiii i iiiiiiiiiiii 1 A References CitedFeathers......................

Porter..................... Thomas, Jr.

Hawley Marzio....................

UNITED STATES PATENTS o w 5 n a m g MW v 4. MW i i P m Mm 2 3mv F MM m va 3 ,2 111111 1 1 0 v M H M v 0 v 4 w m m L W n 3... 2 m .Tz h S I I HII ,-----::f A w 0. O m M." m m n A l 0 no M Q m 0 I. M m x? mm H on n P14 1 E awe/won CHARLES HOLOVKA,JR. BOHDAN DEMCHYSHYN JOHN F. MC HUGH BY14M, 5 0/025), ATTORNEY PATENTED NEW 2 8 i972 SHEU 2 BF 4 PATENTEDHBY 28I972 SHEET 3 [IF 4 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOUNTING CARDS ON A WEB Thisinvention relates to apparatus and methods for mounting small flexiblesheets onto larger sheets for mailing or the like, and relates moreparticularly to an improved apparatus and method wherein stiff plasticcredit cards or the like are mounted without adhesive to successivemailer cards on a burstable continuous form. I

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has heretofore been proposed to adherecredit cards to mailer cards burstable from a continuous form. This isundesirable because when the credit card is detached some of theadhesive will generally remain and cause the card to stick to whateverobject it is placed against. Apparatus has been disclosed to insertitems, such as watch crystals and film chips in bezels or laminatedaperture cards, respectively; but such apparatus required that theinsertion be accomplished solely by deforming the item to be inserted.For example, the film chip was deformed into a cavity in a punch bysuction, then straightened by fluid under pressure to enter a peripheralgroove around the aperture; but it required an undesirably expensivethree-ply laminated aperture card to provide this groove, and so it wasnever commercially practical.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,097 discloses several embodiments of an apparatus toautomatically insert tabulating cards successively into a series of fourangled slits arranged longitudinally along a continuous form. The cardto be inserted into the web is forced into an M-like shape (see FIGS.5,6) while resilient fingers spread one set of slits in the web to catchthe trailing comers of the sheet as the web moves forward. Then, furtherdownstream other fingers push down on the leading corners of the sheetto tuck them into the other set of slits while the trailing end of thesheet is clamped by a plate and its midsection is pushed up by pinsraised through a set of transversely spaced apertures in the web. It isreadily apparent that this apparatus is exceedingly complex, even if itcould operate satisfactorily to mount relatively stiff plastic creditcards.

In another embodiment (FIGS. 15,19) :1 pair of vacuum cups initiallymove down and suck the sheet from the web, and deform it into a concaveanvil; then the anvil and cups move down together as a unit causing thecorners of the sheet to spread and enter the slits while the sheet isstill held by the cups; and finally the cups are disconnected from thevacuum source so the inherent resiliency of the sheet permits it toresume its normal flat shape and causes its corners to become fullytucked under the slits. Although this is considerably simpler than thefirst embodiment, it is nevertheless complex in that the anvil and cupsmust be movable both together and independently, and the operationrequires four stages per cycle: viz, lower cups relative to anvil, thenraise cups relative to anvil, then lower anvil and cups in unison, thenraise anvil and cups in unison. Also note that the corners of the sheetare not forced toward the web and into the slits until the anvil andcups move down in unison and push the entire sheet toward the web.

There is a need for a relatively inexpensive and simple apparatus andmethod for mounting relatively stiff flexible items, like credit cards,to a mailer card or the like.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Toward this end, and according to theinvention, applicants have provided a continuous form web burstable intoa series of single-ply mailer cards each with one or more sets of fourangled corner slits that are inexpensively cut in the web around asingle aperture centrally disposed within each set of slits. As a rampasses through each aperture, it forces a relatively stiff flexible cardadjacent the aperture against spaced fulcrum points of a stationaryanvil. The fulcrum points are closer than the end-to-end dimension ofthe caril, so the comers of the flexible card will be driven backward(i.e., counter to the applied force) against the mailer card and spreadopen the slits. Upon retraction of the ram, the corners enter the slitsas the flexible card restores to its flat condition flush against themailer card. A plurality of flexible cards can be mounted concurrentlyby providing a plurality of slit sets per mailer card and acorresponding plurality of rams; in such case flexible cards areserially advanced transversely of the mailer card to a merge position,whereupon the plurality are concurrently advanced longitudinally of themailer card to mounting position and then simultaneously mounted.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the followingmore detailed description of the invention and from the followingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary front elevational view, with the anvil portionremoved, of a credit card mounting apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a left end view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of said apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view, to enlarged scale and partially insection, of a portion of the apparatus shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, also to enlarged scale, of the apparatuswith the anvil portion removed.

DESCRIPTION As illustrated in FIG. 1, the card mounting apparatusembodying the invention comprises a card advancing unit 10 forincrementally advancing a series of cards 11, such as plastic creditcards, long edge down in a horizontal path into juxtaposition with acontinuous card form 12 of burstable single-ply mailer cards 13 that areincrementally advanced in a vertical path adjaoent said horizontal pathby suitable means including forms feed tractor pins 14.

More specifically, unit 10 comprises upper and lower guide rails 15,16providing facing U-shaped channels for receiving the upper and loweredges of successive cards 11. These cards are fed serially into thechannels 15, 16 by suitable means (not shown). Each time the leadingedge of a card 11 strikes a microswitch 17, a single revolution clutch(not shown) is actuated to drive sprocket 20 to move an endless chain 21a preselected incremental distance x leftward as viewed in FIG. 1. Chain21 is entrained around an idler sprocket 22 and has a plurality ofpushers 23 which contact the rear edges of respective cards 11 toincrement them leftward said distance x. The pushers 23 projectlaterally into a suitable horizontally extending groove 24 provided in abackplate 25 that carries the rails l5, l6.

All cards 1 1 will have been inspected and found satisfactory prior todelivery to advancing unit 10. Hence, there will be no breaks in thesequence of cards 11. As the leading edge of a card 1 1 strikes a stop26, it will activate a microswitch 27 to energize a clutch (not shown).This will activate a forms feed tractor 28 (see FIG. 2) to cause thetractor pins 14 which are entrained around tractor 28 and an idler 29 todrive the form 12 and hence mailer cards 13 upward.

As illustrated, form 12 comprises a series of singleply mailer cards 13each having two identical horizontally spaced sets of four angled cornerslits 30 and a circular aperture 31 centrally disposed within the areabounded by each set of slits. This configuration permits two cards 1 l(e. g., so-called Mr. and Mrs. credit cards) to be mounted side by sideon each mailer card 13 defined between adjacent fold scores 32 and theconventional detachable marginal strips 33 that receive the tractor pins14.

It should here be noted that two elongated slots 40 are provided throughlower rail 16 to accommodate respective vertically movable card lifters41. The upper flat edges of the lifters are narrower than the length ofthe respective cards 11, but normally aligned with rail 16. This is tosupportthe cards 11 and maintain their lower edges horizontal becausetwo slots 42 are provided through upper rail directly above slots 40 toenable the lifters to push the cards 11 upward from the merge position(shown by solid lines in FIG. 1) to the mounting position (denoted bybroken lines). The slots 42 are only long and wide enough to permitupward passage of the cards 11 and lifters 41 so that the cards will beguided and retained by the walls of the slots as they are moved up tothe mounting position.

Meanwhile, as continuous form 12 is moved upward by tractor 28, cards 13will move past a microswitch 45. When switch 45 senses an aperture 31, asingle shot half-revolution clutch (not shown) will be activated to rocka shaft 46 l80 (see FIG. 2). As shaft 46 rotates, it will act through aneccentric 47, a link 48 and a shaft 49 pinned thereto, and a sector gear50 to raise a rack 5 1 that is positively connected to the left-handlifter 41 (as viewed in FIG. 1). When the apparatus is being operated toinsert two cards 11 concurrently, as illus trated, an electromagneticclutch 52 (FIG. 1) is maintained energized to connect the rotated shaft49 to the corresponding shaft 49 for the right-hand lifter 41 to causeits associated sector gear 50 and rack 51 (not shown) to raise saidright-hand lifter in unison with the left-hand lifter.

As lifters 41 are concurrently raised by their respective racks 51, theywill move respective cards 11 upward from their previously defined mergepositions to their mounting positions. Meanwhile, form 12 will continueto move upward at substantially the same rate as the lifters 41 butbehind backplate to assure that the cards 11 cannot become snagged inthe mailer slits 30. As the eccentric 47 rotates to a position where itoperatively drives the left-hand lifter 41 to the upper end of itsstroke, it will operate a microswitch 53 to deenergize theaforementioned forms feed tractor clutch for stopping the tractor 28.This, in turn, will cause the form 12 to be stopped at its mountingposition, defined by the apertures 31 in a mailer card 13 beingcoaxially aligned with respective rams 60 each forming part of arespective insertion unit, designated generally 61.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, each unit 61 comprises a negator-typeconstant force flat spring 62 that extends between spools 63, 64 andaround a follower housing 65 to bias a roller follower 66 with aconstant force against a cylindrical cam 67 eccentrically mounted on ashaft 68. Since each ram is coaxially connected to an associated housing65, each spring 62 also biases the corresponding ram to a normal orretracted position, in which it is shown in FIG. 2. Each ram 60comprises a curved end face 60a formed as a constant-width flat on acylindrical portion that joins a square shank portion 60b. Intermediateits ends, portion 60b is coaxially connected to housing joumaied in asquare bearing provided in a bearing block 69 to preclude rotation ortwisting as it is moved axially.

With apertured mailer card 13 and the cards 11 in mounting position, thecards 13,1 1 are now above the separating backplate 25 and in intimateadjacent relation; but their non-adjacent faces are disposed with slightclearance between a mailer support plate 70 and an anvil member 71,respectively.

As best shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, plate 70 has a shallow recess 72approximately the same size as card 11 but slightly deeper than thecombined thickness of the cards 11,13. Recess 72 is directly adjacentthe area of the mailer card 13 bounded by the slits 30, when the mailercard is in mounting position.

Each anvil member 71 has a concavely curved cylindrical surface 73, thedirection of curvature of which corresponds to that of the curved flatend face 60a on the associated ram 60. Outboard of each end of recess 73the anvil member is preferably relieved to provide two stepped shoulders74, 75. The shoulders 74, 75 control the flexure of the card during itsinitial bowing and provide fulcrum points 76 where the shoulders 75 jointhe recess 73. These points 76 are preferably located so as to becontacted by portions of the cards outboard of any embossed or otherindicia.

When eccentric 47 has rotated far enough to operatively drive lifter 41and hence card 11 to mounting position, a mi-croswitch 80 (FIG. 2) willbe operated to cause a single revolution clutch (not shown) to rotateshaft 68 and hence each eccentric cam 67 one complete revolution. As therising part of each cam moves past the associated follower 66, thecorresponding ram 60 will be moved rightward, as viewed in FIG. 2,slidably guided within its bearing block 69. Each curved end face 600initially will move from an encircling hole 81 in plate 70 through thethen-aligned aperture 31 in the mailer card 13 and into contact with thecorresponding card 11 at substantially the geometric center thereof. Aseach ram 60 continues to move inward following initial contact with thecard 11, it will force the card against the stationary fulcrum points 76for progressively bowing the central portion of the card forward, asshown in FIG. 4, while concurrently causing the extended end portions11a of the card (i.e., those lying outside the recess 73) to pivotelliptically at the fulcrum points and be deflected rearward toward themailer card 13. As end portions are thus driven rearward, they willdeflect and deform the mailer card 13 into the rece 72 in support plate70 and, in so doing, cause the four angled corner slits 30 to be spreadopen.

As the high point of cam 67 (FIG. 2) contacts fol lower 66, ram 60 willachieve its innermost limit position, in which it is shown in solidlines in FIG. 4, and in which the card 11 has been bowed a preselectedamount. By actual test, bowing of the order of 0.750 inch, as measuredfrom the plane of fulcrum points 76 has provided excellent results whenmounting plastic credit cards. As cam 67 continues to rotate toward itshome position, at which follower 66 contactsthe low point of the cam,ram 60 will be retracted through hole 81.

Meanwhile, as the bowing force on card 11 is relieved, the inherentresiliency of the card will cause it to snap to a normal flat condition.This will cause the card end portions 1 1a to again pivot at fulcrumpoints 76, but in a reverse arc, and drive the four corners of the card1 1 into the opened slits 30, thus completing attachment of the card 11to the mailer card 13.

The lifters 41 are lowered to normal position by any suitable means assoon as the cards 11 are mounted on card 13. As illustrated, this isaccomplished by the forward end of follower housing 65 striking andopening a microswitch 82 as the housing and ram 60 reach their rightmostpositions as viewed in FIG. 2. Switch 82, after a slight time delay,operates the aforementioned single shot half-revolution clutch to rockshaft 46 a half revolution back to its normal position to operativelylower lifters 41 via gears 50 and racks 51. This completes a full cycleof operation of the card mounting apparatus.

It will be understood that the distance between the fulcrum points 76and extent of penetration of each ram 60 will depend upon the dimensionsof the card 11 to be mounted and its stiffness relative to that of thereceptor 13 on which it is to be mounted. For example, for a card 11 ofthe size illustrated but not as stiff, the fulcrum points should bespaced farther apart but somewhat closer to the mailer card to reducethe width of the extended end portions and thus increase their stiffnessso the slits may be spread open more readily. In any event, the card 11to be mounted must be sufficiently stiffer than the receptor 13 on whichit is to be mounted so that the end portions 11a will have the strengthto deform the receptor and open the slits. The cards 11 must also havesufficient resistance to flexing to store adequate energy to snapquickly back to flat condition when the bowing force is relieved. Tofacilitate mounting of various types or sizes of cards 1 1,interchangeable or adjustable anvil members 71 may be used.

It will be noted that after two cards 11 have been concurrently mountedby the respective rams 60 and both lifters 41 are restored to theirlower positions, switch 17 will be operated twice to advance the leadingcard 11 of the next pair into contact with the switch 27 that initiatesa mounting operation. Cards 11 are delivered to rails 15, 16 at a rateslow enough to permit completion of a mounting operation betweenoperations of switch 17.

It should be noted that in the embodiment illustrated. as the ram 60moves in and pivots the extended portions 11a of card 11 rearward, thecorners of the card will initially contact the web at points outboard ofthe slits 30. Then the card corners will move with a wiping actionsuccessively toward and then across and inboard of the tucking edgesdefined by the outboard edges of said slits. As the comers cross thetucking edges to the positions shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the corners willpush down on the web causing it to bend or crease along edges 72: (FIG.5) of recess 72 and deform downward. The inboard edges of slits 30 arepermanently deformed downward to open the slits and assure that the cardwill enter under the outboard edges of the slits when the bowing forceis relieved. As the latter occurs, the portion of the web just inboardof the crease or bend acts as a cam surface or ramp guiding the shortedges of the card as its corners tuck under the outboard edges of theslits.

While the apparatus, as illustrated comprises a pair of fulcrum points76 defined by two parallel edges of concavely curved surface 73, it willbe understood that, if preferred, there may be more fulcrum points; e.g., in the form of four protuberances inboard of the four corners of arectangular card, in which case the card would be flexed or curled inboth long and short directions by one or more rams having suitable endsurfaces. Also, if preferred, the edges under which the extremities ofthe card are tucked may be defined by openings other than those providedby the four angled corner slits illustrated. But, as in the embodimentillustrated, the corners of the card when bowed must be forced inboardof the tucking edges so they can later expand via the openings andbecome tucked under the edges as the card resumes its normal flatcondition.

It will also be understood that while the apparatus as illustrated iscapable of mounting two cards 11 side by side, electromagnetic clutch 52is deenergized when only one card 11 is to be mounted on each mailercard 13. Also since switch 45 does not initiate a mounting operationuntil it senses an aperture 31, the apparatus can without modificationbe used to mount cards 1 l at any desired longitudinal interval; e.g.,every other fold or every third fold to provide a two-ply or three-plymailer card instead of the single-ply mailer card 13 illustrated.

It will be apparent that the foregoing and other variations may be madewithout departing from the spirit, scope and teaching of the presentinvention. Accordingly, the apparatus herein disclosed is to beconsidered merely as illustrative, and the scope of the invention is tobe limited only as specified in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of mounting relatively stiff flexible cards onto a web,comprising the steps of:

providing in the web at longitudinally spaced intervals at least one setof slits, each for receiving the extremities of a flexible card, andalso providing an aperture within the area bounded by each set of slits,

advancing the web and flexible cards intermittently to bring successiveflexible cards into juxtaposed position beside each longitudinallyspaced set of the slits on the web,

bowing each juxtaposed flexible card by inserting a ram through theaperture and driving the card adjacent its short edges into contact withrespective fulcrum surfaces to flex the central portion of such cardbetween said surfaces away from the web and concurrently drive theextremities of such card outboard of the surfaces toward the web tosuccessively distend the juxtaposed slits, and

withdrawing the ram to relieve the distending force on the web andpermit each flexible card to straighten into retained relationshipwithin the slits and tucked under the outer edges of the slits.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the web is a continuous cardform burstable into a series of longitudinally spaced single-ply ormultipleply mailer cards, and

each set of slits comprises four angled corner slits provided onsuccessive mailer cards.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein during the bowing operationat least some of the extremities of the card crease the web topermanently deform the area inboard of the tucking edges and provide aguiding ramp to facilitate. entry of the card under said edges when thebowing force is relieved.

4. Apparatus for mounting a relatively stiff flexible sheet within aplurality of slits on a larger sheet of less stiffness and having atleast one aperture within the area bounded by the slits, comprisingmeans providing spaced fulcrum points,

means for positioning the sheets in juxtaposed relationship with thefulcrum points at one side of the flexible sheet and aforementioned areaat its op posite side,

means normally disposed at the side of each aperture remote from saidflexible sheet, and

means for actuating the last-introduced means through each aperture intocontact with said flexible sheet to force the latter against saidfulcrum points for bowing the central portion of the flexible sheetforwardly between the fulcrum points while concurrently driving theextremities, including the corners, of the flexible sheet rearwardlyagainst the larger sheet to deform it to open the slits for receivingsaid flexible sheet.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said actuating means isoperative to retract said lastintroduced means to cause said extremitiesof the flexible sheet to extend into said slits to detachably mount theflexible sheet to the larger sheet as the flexible sheet straightensunder its inherent resiliency and the larger sheet is released fromdeformation.

6. Apparatus for mounting a pair of relatively stiff flexible sheetsinto respective sets of slits arranged side by side on a larger sheet ofless stiffness and having an aperture within the area bounded by eachset of slits, comprising means for advancing flexible sheets serially inone direction relative to the larger sheet,

means including a pair of members for moving a pair of flexible sheetsconcurrently in another direction generally at right angles to said onedirection to position both flexible sheets flatwise immediately adjacenta respective set of said slits, and

means including a pair of rams movable concurrently through therespective apertures to contact and bow the flexible sheets andconcurrently cause the extremities of said flexible sheets to distendthe respective slits of each set to position said extremities for entryinto the distended slits as the flexible sheets tend to resume theirnormal flat condition upon retraction of the rams.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the larger sheet is acontinuous web burstable into a series of sheets larger than a pair offlexible sheets, and including means for incrementing the web in saidother direction to bring a pair of apertures into alignment with thepair of rams as the leading flexible sheet of each successive pair offlexible sheets is advanced in said one direction to a position in whichboth sheets of said pair are longitudinally aligned with a respectivepair of the apertures.

8. Apparatus for detachably mounting a series of relatively stiffflexible cards into sets of four angled corner slits provided in a webin surrounding relation to apertures spaced along the web, comprisingmeans providing at least one pair of spaced fulcrum points, one pair foreach set of cards to be concurrently mounted,

means for advancing the web and cards intermittently to bring successivecards and sets of slits into juxtaposed position beside a correspondingpair of fulcrum points,

means including at least one ram per set of slits, for moving when cardsand web are in juxtaposed position, through each aperture into contactwith each juxtaposed card to flex it against the associated fulcrumpoints to concurrently bow its central portion forward and drive itscomers rear ward for causing said corners to successively contact theweb and distend the corresponding set of slits to position eachjuxtaposed card to enter the associated slits as it returns to itsnatural flat condition upon relaxation of the flexing force.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said advancing meanscomprises separate means for advancing the web and cards throughdifferent distances commencing at different times and so interrelateclthat web and cards will move at substan tially the same speed to, andarrive at the same time at, the juxtaposed position to prevent the cardsfrom becoming snagged in the slits.

10. Apparatus for tucking the extremities of a relatively stiff flexiblesheet under a plurality of edges provided in a larger sheet by openingsadjacent such edges, the larger sheet being of less stiffness and havingat least one aperture within the area bounded by the openings,comprising means providing spaced fulcrum points,

means for positioning the sheets in juxtaposed relationship with thefulcrum points at one side of the flexible sheet and aforementioned areaat its opposite side,

means normally disposed at the side of each aperture remote from saidflexible sheet, and

means for moving the last-introduced means through each aperture intocontact with said flexible sheet to force the latter against saidfulcrum points for bowing the central portion of the flexible sheetforwardly between the fulcrum points while concurrently driving theextremities, including all corners, of the flexible sheet rearwardlyagainst the larger sheet to retract said extremities inwardly of allsaid edges concurrently and so position the flexible sheet relative tothe larger sheet that upon relaxation of such force the flexible sheetcan straighten under its inherent resiliency and cause its extremitiesto enter under said edges via said openings for detachably mounting theflexible sheet to the larger sheet. 1 1. Apparatus according to claim10, wherein said positioning means includes means for advancing a seriesof said larger sheets sequentially and intermittently in one directionto the juxtapose position, and means for advancing a series of flexiblesheets sequentially and intermittently initially in a directiontransverse to said one direction and then in said one direction to thejuxtapose position. 12. Apparatus according to claim 1 1 wherein therespective means for advancing the larger sheet and flexible sheets insaid one direction move such sheets at substantially the same speed toprevent the flexible sheets from becoming snagged in the openings duringsuch advance.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10, including means providing a recessadjacent the aforementioned area of the larger sheet when said sheetsare juxtaposed, and further providing at least one edge for causingbending of the larger sheet as a function of the movement of at leastone of said extremities thereacross to depress it between at least onepair of said openings to facilitate entry of said flexible sheet undersaid edges in the larger sheet upon relaxation of such force.

1. A method of mounting relatively stiff flexible cards onto a web,comprising the steps of: providing in the web at longitudinally spacedintervals at least one set of slits, each for receiving the extremitiesof a flexible card, and also providing an aperture within the areabounded by each set of slits, advancing the web and flexible cardsintermittently to bring successive flexible cards into juxtaposedposition beside each longitudinally spaced set of the slits on the web,bowing each juxtaposed flexible card by inserting a ram through theaperture and driving the card adjacent its short edges into contact withrespective fulcrum surfaces to flex the central portion of such cardbetween said surfaces away from the web and concurrently drive theextremities of such card outboard of the surfaces toward the web tosuccessively distend the juxtaposed slits, and withdrawing the ram torelieve the distending force on the web and permit each flexible card tostraighten into retained relationship within the slits and tucked underthe outer edges of the slits.
 2. The method according to claim 1,wherein the web is a continuous card form burstable into a series oflongitudinally spaced single-ply or multiple-ply mailer cards, and eachset of slits comprises four angled corner slits provided on successivemailer cards.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein during thebowing operation at least some of the extremities of the card crease theweb to permanently deform the area inboard of the tucking edges andprovide a guiding ramp to facilitate entry of the card under said edgeswhen the bowing force is relieved.
 4. Apparatus for mounting arelatively stiff flexible sheet within a plurality of slits on a largersheet of less stiffness and having at least one aperture within the areabounded by the slits, comprising means providing spaced fulcrum points,means for positioning the sheets in juxtaposed relationship with thefulcrum points at one side of the flexible sheet and aforementioned areaat its opposite side, means normally disposed at the side of eachaperture remote from said flexible sheet, and means for actuating thelast-introduced means through each aperture into contact with saidflexible sheet to force the latter against said fulcrum points forbowing the central portion of the flexible sheet forwardly between thefulcrum points while concurrently driving the extremities, including thecorners, of the flexible sheet rearwardly against the larger sheet todeform it to open the slits for receiving said flexible sheet. 5.Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said actuating means isoperative to retract said last-introduced means to cause saidextremities of the flexible sheet to extend into said slits todetachably mount the flexible sheet to the larger sheet as the flexiblesheet straightens under its inheRent resiliency and the larger sheet isreleased from deformation.
 6. Apparatus for mounting a pair ofrelatively stiff flexible sheets into respective sets of slits arrangedside by side on a larger sheet of less stiffness and having an aperturewithin the area bounded by each set of slits, comprising means foradvancing flexible sheets serially in one direction relative to thelarger sheet, means including a pair of members for moving a pair offlexible sheets concurrently in another direction generally at rightangles to said one direction to position both flexible sheets flatwiseimmediately adjacent a respective set of said slits, and means includinga pair of rams movable concurrently through the respective apertures tocontact and bow the flexible sheets and concurrently cause theextremities of said flexible sheets to distend the respective slits ofeach set to position said extremities for entry into the distended slitsas the flexible sheets tend to resume their normal flat condition uponretraction of the rams.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein thelarger sheet is a continuous web burstable into a series of sheetslarger than a pair of flexible sheets, and including means forincrementing the web in said other direction to bring a pair ofapertures into alignment with the pair of rams as the leading flexiblesheet of each successive pair of flexible sheets is advanced in said onedirection to a position in which both sheets of said pair arelongitudinally aligned with a respective pair of the apertures. 8.Apparatus for detachably mounting a series of relatively stiff flexiblecards into sets of four angled corner slits provided in a web insurrounding relation to apertures spaced along the web, comprising meansproviding at least one pair of spaced fulcrum points, one pair for eachset of cards to be concurrently mounted, means for advancing the web andcards intermittently to bring successive cards and sets of slits intojuxtaposed position beside a corresponding pair of fulcrum points, meansincluding at least one ram per set of slits, for moving when cards andweb are in juxtaposed position, through each aperture into contact witheach juxtaposed card to flex it against the associated fulcrum points toconcurrently bow its central portion forward and drive its cornersrearward for causing said corners to successively contact the web anddistend the corresponding set of slits to position each juxtaposed cardto enter the associated slits as it returns to its natural flatcondition upon relaxation of the flexing force.
 9. Apparatus accordingto claim 8, wherein said advancing means comprises separate means foradvancing the web and cards through different distances commencing atdifferent times and so interrelated that web and cards will move atsubstantially the same speed to, and arrive at the same time at, thejuxtaposed position to prevent the cards from becoming snagged in theslits.
 10. Apparatus for tucking the extremities of a relatively stiffflexible sheet under a plurality of edges provided in a larger sheet byopenings adjacent such edges, the larger sheet being of less stiffnessand having at least one aperture within the area bounded by theopenings, comprising means providing spaced fulcrum points, means forpositioning the sheets in juxtaposed relationship with the fulcrumpoints at one side of the flexible sheet and aforementioned area at itsopposite side, means normally disposed at the side of each apertureremote from said flexible sheet, and means for moving thelast-introduced means through each aperture into contact with saidflexible sheet to force the latter against said fulcrum points forbowing the central portion of the flexible sheet forwardly between thefulcrum points while concurrently driving the extremities, including allcorners, of the flexible sheet rearwardly against the larger sheet toretract said extremities inwardly of all said edges concurrently and soposition the flexible sheet relative to the larger sheet that uponrelaxation of such force the flexible sheet can straighten under itsinherent resiliency and cause its extremities to enter under said edgesvia said openings for detachably mounting the flexible sheet to thelarger sheet.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein saidpositioning means includes means for advancing a series of said largersheets sequentially and intermittently in one direction to the juxtaposeposition, and means for advancing a series of flexible sheetssequentially and intermittently initially in a direction transverse tosaid one direction and then in said one direction to the juxtaposeposition.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the respectivemeans for advancing the larger sheet and flexible sheets in said onedirection move such sheets at substantially the same speed to preventthe flexible sheets from becoming snagged in the openings during suchadvance.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 10, including means providinga recess adjacent the aforementioned area of the larger sheet when saidsheets are juxtaposed, and further providing at least one edge forcausing bending of the larger sheet as a function of the movement of atleast one of said extremities thereacross to depress it between at leastone pair of said openings to facilitate entry of said flexible sheetunder said edges in the larger sheet upon relaxation of such force.